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Virginia

Hello to all,
My first year at growing big pumpkins. I have cross-pollinated, and all three "babies" (one on each of three plants) are taking off. My question is - should I cut off the vine beyond the growing pumpkins, or let them continue to grow on down the field? A couple of the vines have additional female blossoms, but I don't need them (do I?), and my thought are that I'd like all the plant's energy to go to the babies, not to wandering off. What should I do? I have cut off most of the non-producing vines already.

6/25/2005 7:37:47 AM

Syracuse, NY

http://henryholman.homestead.com/pumpkins.html

this is in the "links" section from the main menu
on the home page of BP.com......

go to this site!, read "pruning rules", and you will
discover so much info you may have to take Monday off!

you want to keep all the vines at first whether they have pumpkins on them or not, but you must have some sort of strategy that you believe in concerning pruning before you go chopping-off any of them. i do believe the best method is to simply chop off every other vine on each side of the plant and allow NO tertiary (vines coming off of SECONDARIES) growth at all. i have not experimented TOO much with this just yet, but it is quite popular amongst
those i have read of having success with it.

...allows more space between vines, airs-out the plant, and
causes the leaves to become much larger to compensate for reduced photosynthetic area...should be a win-win tactic! EG

6/26/2005 12:15:01 AM

Hayes, Virginia

Hey VA Hopeful!!!
What Part of Virginia?
Are you going to the State Fair?

Ed.

6/27/2005 5:46:32 PM

Virginia

Lovingston, VA - midway 'tween Charlottesville and Lynchburg. I'm going to the fair, and I'd like to take one along, but this is my first year growing so we'll have to see how things turn out. I went to the weigh-off at the fair last yeasr out of curiosity, and became "hooked."
Are you entering one? If so, good luck, some guy named Tim over around Crewe is pretty tough.

6/27/2005 11:18:34 PM

Hayes, Virginia

I had the 5th place last year at the fair.
was my first year growing AG.
Tim is very tough he grew the 805 pukos last year.
Tim is also very cool guy I was pulling for him
to bust 1000lb mark.
Hope i have a pumpkin worth taking if not ill
be there cheering on the you guys.
best of luck hope to meet you there.
Ed

6/28/2005 7:01:01 PM